Broody Hen Thread!

[melina90]

I went to my friend today and he gave me 18 fertile hen eggs, and he gave me 3 fertile duck eggs as well and I don't want them to go to waste, as I also wanted to hatch them so what do I do, can I hatch them together or what.
(I have a sixty egg incubator so space isn't a problem) Help!

Sure you can hatch them in the same bator, although I think duck eggs prefer a somewhat higher temperature and they also take longer to incubate so you would be facing a staggered hatch. Read up on what the eggs need and I'm sure you can do it! Doesnt hurt to try anyways Good luck!

 

[melina90]

My buff Orpington has been persistantly broody for the last two weeks, so when our bator-eggs hatched I decided to give her a handful of chicks to care for. It's so moving to watch her interact with her babies! I really wasn't sure if she'd be a good mom, because I literally had to stuff them underneath her as she didnt understand that she should lift herself a little when they try to go under. But she figured it out over the first night, and I'm so glad I gave her the chance!

 

[jammyjammy2112]

Question, we're wanting to move our broody and her chicks to a separate coop(away from the rest of the flock) while we're away for the weekend. We were hoping her eggs would have hatched earlier in the week, but they just started today and we'd need to move them by tomorrow.

Is this too soon to move our boody and her babies? Would it be better to just leave them with the rest of the flock while we're gone? Our main concern with leaving them with the flock, is that we plan to leave the main coop open for them to free range while we're gone. Someone will be stopping by to feed them, but nobody will be home on a consistent basis.

well since you only have two hens and one is broody she wont bother them and she is defintly higher then the pullets in the pecking order so she could defintly fend them off.
But if the rooster is ok with them he should evan protect them my rooster silkie protects the chicks. once my chicks would sleep on the perch the chicks would sleep under his wings instead of the mother hehe
once all the eggs are hatched you can defintly move them no bother it will do no harm to the chicks atall unless you drop them or something hehe


I have a question for someone aswell
today my red hen has been making broody noises when she is walking around and they would get louder as i went closer to her but she isint sitting on eggs does this mean she wants to become broody i left 6 golfballs in the nest to intise her in do you think she will go broody
thanks

 

[randerson846]

While it definitely boils down to the individual hen, the breeds that are noted for having very common and even annoyingly frequent broodies are Silkie, Cochin and Game Bird.

Another breed noted for being good for broodiness is Orpington, although none of mine ever went broody in earnest.

I have had other birds become broody...I've had several Black Stars and Welsummer/Welsummer mixes....although Welsummer is not generally noted for commonly being broody.

A few on this thread have had commercial layers go broody (one in particular a White Leghorn..practically unheard of!).

I really wanted to brood with hens, so I purchased a known faithful broody Silkie at a chicken swap...she is the backbone of my brooding program as she faithfully goes broody every 3 to 4 months such that I can plan my hatching program with her in mind. I then use any additional bird who is willing and able.

Right now I have my Silkie and Wyandotte/EE mix (my best guess as her parentage is unknown) that are sitting on clutches.

Henderson's breed chart notes broodiness so you can check it to see which breeds are noted for that: http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

Good luck in finding a broody hen.
Lady of McCamley

Thanks

 

[sonderah]

1st timer here on day 20 with a few questions. I took 5/15 eggs out of the incy on day 14 and gave them to my 1st broody. I was so excited, I didn't think it through. So, as I've said, I have to do a switch, cause the babies she is hatching r sold already.

I have 1/10 hatched & 3 more pipped in the incy. I need to seperate her from her babies and give her the new ones ASAP correct? So my incy babies don't bond with the brooder. How will I know if her babies hatch quickly? I'm afraid to lift her and shrink wrap pipped eggs, & I feel like I've read that they will stay hidden under her for a few days.

 

[cheepcheep riri]

@Dknichelson

You should be OK! Its sound like a very good environment for the chicks. If you had more hens the pullets might be a little more aggressive and might be a that but since you don't, it sounds like thesee chicks will have a very nice home!

 

[Zombified]

I didn't read the whole thread. I don't have chickens, but I have broody ducks. This is my first experience with any bird other than a parrot and a couple of parakeets. This is also my girls' first times nesting(they're just under a year old). Two of my girls are sharing a nest, and they now have eleven eggs between them. I THINK that three eggs have externally pipped.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

1st timer here on day 20 with a few questions. I took 5/15 eggs out of the incy on day 14 and gave them to my 1st broody. I was so excited, I didn't think it through. So, as I've said, I have to do a switch, cause the babies she is hatching r sold already.

I have 1/10 hatched & 3 more pipped in the incy. I need to seperate her from her babies and give her the new ones ASAP correct? So my incy babies don't bond with the brooder. How will I know if her babies hatch quickly? I'm afraid to lift her and shrink wrap pipped eggs, & I feel like I've read that they will stay hidden under her for a few days.

I think the best route would be to simply let the hatches go as they are until all the chicks are fully hatched and dry, then switch. While sooner is better, you should be able to get everyone where they ought to be by day 1 or 2...and then stand by and make sure those foster babies connect with the broody...they will in time, but you just have to make sure they aren't stressed by her at first...chances are they'll run right into her feathers or tuck under her and be happy...but I've had one or two that are determined to be confused and run away from mom.

I have found it works best to have either all hatchlings or all fosters with the broody...I have ran into trouble with integration when I've got half and half as the hatchlings tend to trounce the fosters as they've already bonded with mom which can hinder the fosters at first.

You can gently lift the hen up and quickly look to see what is going on...hopefully you'll have all hatched babies, if not count what you do have and what stage any unhatched eggs are at...I would feel comfortable taking fully hatched chicks or late eggs that aren't pipped yet and switching fully hatched fosters...but I doubt you'll be that lucky. You'll probably have halfway hatches in both incubator and broody... I would be afraid I'd make a mess of both sets trying to switch at lock down/half pipped.

Good luck! Let us know how it worked out.
Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I didn't read the whole thread. I don't have chickens, but I have broody ducks. This is my first experience with any bird other than a parrot and a couple of parakeets. This is also my girls' first times nesting(they're just under a year old). Two of my girls are sharing a nest, and they now have eleven eggs between them. I THINK that three eggs have externally pipped.

I guess I'm a little confused...are you shining the light on the outside so we are seeing cracks in the outside shell? Have you candled the eggs to see development (shining the light up through the egg?) ...I guess what confuses me is the third picture makes it look as if you are shining the light through the egg, and there doesn't appear to be enough development for a hatching egg...I generally see big black blob and air cell...that looks more like the vein growth of the first week if it is inside the shell...but if that is light shining on cracks on the outside shell and not showing any internal egg...then yes, that could be external pipping...I've honestly not shined it on the egg from the outside like that at lock down.

I would leave them alone and let mom do her job if you are at day 27 or 28 and essentially at lock down. It is important that the egg and chick be in the proper position for hatching, and the hen will know what to do.

Lady of McCamley

 

[sonderah]

I think the best route would be to simply let the hatches go as they are until all the chicks are fully hatched and dry, then switch. While sooner is better, you should be able to get everyone where they ought to be by day 1 or 2...and then stand by and make sure those foster babies connect with the broody...they will in time, but you just have to make sure they aren't stressed by her at first...chances are they'll run right into her feathers or tuck under her and be happy...but I've had one or two that are determined to be confused and run away from mom.

I have found it works best to have either all hatchlings or all fosters with the broody...I have ran into trouble with integration when I've got half and half as the hatchlings tend to trounce the fosters as they've already bonded with mom which can hinder the fosters at first.

You can gently lift the hen up and quickly look to see what is going on...hopefully you'll have all hatched babies, if not count what you do have and what stage any unhatched eggs are at...I would feel comfortable taking fully hatched chicks or late eggs that aren't pipped yet and switching fully hatched fosters...but I doubt you'll be that lucky. You'll probably have halfway hatches in both incubator and broody... I would be afraid I'd make a mess of both sets trying to switch at lock down/half pipped.

Good luck! Let us know how it worked out.
Lady of McCamley

I took a quick peek. She had 1 out & dry, & 1 almost out. It was b4 I read this. I couldn't help myself. I snatched it! Its my 1st bantam baby ever and OMG. I couldn't believe how tiny & I HAD to show my girls!! Figure it'll be ok, since she has another almost out anyway. :/ I HOPE!! I have 3 in the bator out, & another pipped. I had forgotten I put these 10 in on 2 seperate days, so, the other half may nt start til tomorrow.